Michelin Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Winter Tires in Japan for a Fifth Consecutive Year

J.D. Power Asia Pacific Reports: 2008 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study

TOKYO: 22 May 2008 — For a fifth consecutive year, Michelin ranks highest in satisfying vehicle owners in Japan with their winter tires, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2008 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index StudySM released today.

The study, now in its fifth year, measures customer satisfaction with winter tires by examining five key factors: tire performance in snow-covered road conditions, icy road conditions and regular road conditions, as well as tire appearance and tire quality/durability. The overall index score is calculated based on customer evaluations and is scored on a 1,000-point scale.

Overall customer satisfaction averages 592, up 10 points since 2006. Industry-wide, tire performance in icy road conditions and regular road conditions has improved during the past three years. However, performance on icy road conditions has consistently received low ratings during the past three years, and continues to be an area for improvement for the industry.

Among the seven tire brands included in the study, Michelin ranks highest for a fifth consecutive year with an overall index score of 646, and performs particularly well in all five factors. Bridgestone follows Michelin in the rankings with a score of 612. Although ranking below the industry average, Yokohama improves by 15 index points and one rank position since 2007.

“Michelin ranks above the industry average by a wide margin for performance on regular road conditions, appearance and quality/durability, which are particular strengths of the brand,” said Hiroaki Endo, manager of the research service group at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Tokyo. “Each year since the inception of the study in 2004, both Michelin and Bridgestone have demonstrated a strong advantage over their competitors by ranking above the industry average for overall index scores as well as in all five factors.”

The study finds that 33 percent of owners report experiencing a near accident while driving on winter roads. The percentage of owners who say they experienced a near accident rises as the age of a set of winter tires increases. Approximately 26 percent of customers in their first season of using a set of winter tires report experiencing a near accident. This increases to 31 percent for the second season of usage and 37 percent and 39 percent for the third and fourth seasons of use, respectively.

Owners who experience near accidents report lower rates of customer satisfaction—particularly with tire performance in icy road conditions—compared with owners who have not experienced a near accident.

The study also finds that owners who receive tips from sales staff about driving on winter roads when they purchase their winter tires are less likely to report having near accidents and also report higher customer satisfaction, compared with owners who did not receive driving tips from sales staff.

“It is important for tire manufacturers to improve customer satisfaction with the performance of winter tires on icy road conditions by developing products that take into account the actual conditions under which customers use winter tires, as well as customer experiences and expectations,” said Endo. “At the same time, tire manufacturers can improve the level of customer satisfaction with winter tires and reduce the rate of customers who experience near accidents by taking the initiative to educate owners about safe driving practices on winter roads.”

The 2008 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study is based on 3,571 responses from customers who purchased winter tires for their private passenger cars (new or used, and excluding minicars) and used the tires during the most recent winter. The study was fielded in February 2008.

About J.D. Power Asia Pacific
J.D. Power Asia Pacific, established in 1990, conducts customer satisfaction research and provides consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries. Information regarding J.D. Power Asia Pacific and its products can be accessed through the Internet at jdpower.co.jp

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at mcgraw-hill.com.

Source: J.D. Power and Associates

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